ht of anyone who might be passing along the track
they were following, before Lupe uttered a low warning growl.

Marcus bent over the dog and seized him by the muzzle to keep his jaws
closed, and the dog crouched down, while directly after there came the
heavy tramp of advancing men, following their path exactly, and very
dimly-seen from where the adventurers lay _perdu_ a body of men, who,
from the time they took in passing, must have numbered two or three
thousand, came by, the dull sound of their footsteps dying out suddenly
when they were some little distance away.

"Gone?" whispered Marcus, as soon as he thought it safe to speak.

"No, boy," was whispered back directly. "They've halted a little way
farther on."

"What does it mean?" said Marcus.

"I believe," replied Serge, with his lips close to his young companion's
ear, "that there is quite an army of the enemy in front, and that these
we heard are going to join them."

"Then we ought to go on and give our people warning that they are going
to be attacked."

"No need, boy," whispered Serge; "they won't catch our men lying about
with their eyes shut. Careful watch has been set by now, and scouts
will be well advanced. Cracis and Julius will not be caught asleep in
the enemy's country. Now, then, as soon as we can feel sure that no
more are coming we will try and get up to the camp."

"But you will not be able to find it in the darkness."

"I think I shall, boy," said the old fellow, confidently.

"Pst!" whispered the driver, and Lupe uttered another growl, and then
had to suffer the indignity of being muzzled with Marcus' hand, till the
fresh tramping sound had approached them and then passed away.

"Now, then," said Marcus, "we must risk it now."

"I'm ready," said Serge. "But what are you going to do?"

"Go back nearly to the river, and then strike for the hill which must be
to our right. It will be too dark to see, but we ought to be near it
before long, and we are pretty sure to be challenged."

"I can't propose anything better," said Serge. "So on at once."

The ponies were led out, and in the gloom Lupe was just seen as he
stepped out in front of the chariot and started off as if to lead the
way, while directly after the low, dull trampling of the ponies and the
soft, crushing sound of the chariot wheels rose in the moist evening
air, the ponies following the dog and the latter acting as if he
perfectly well knew where his master mea